Gilded Dragons
by Aloe
Summary: It's the KaibaCorp Christmas party. What fun! Second in the Kawaita Sakebi story arc. Complete.


þÿIt was a dark and stormy night.  
It was also, and more notably, the night of the annual KaibaCorp Christmas party, which was held, (in spite of loud and repeated protests from Seto Kaiba), in the ballroom of the Kaiba estate.  
And thus, a very miserable Seto found himself stationed by the punch bowl, simultaneously looking imposing, nursing a cup of punch, and wondering how soon he could escape to the quiet darkness of his upstairs office.  
'Let's see,' he thought, nodding to yet another obsequious middle manager, 'I've greeted the executives, an unreasonable number of employees, danced with a few of the drunker ones, choked down a cup of nasty unspiked punch and a few crustless sandwiches, made the mistake of standing briefly under the mistletoe, and done the sappy yearly toast. I think I can safely leave.'  
Carefully he placed his punch glass on the table and edged backward towards the double doors. He was so close, just a few more steps, he could see the stairs--  
"Kaiba, Merry Christmas!"  
"Hello Yuugi." What the hell was Yuugi doing here? He wasn't on the payroll. No matter, a quick hello, and perhaps he could still slip away. But no, there was the Mutt coming towards him, holding a glass of champagne. Wonderful.  
"Kaiba, for an uptight jerk, you sure do know how to throw a party."  
Kaiba gritted his teeth, but said nothing. The last thing he wanted to do was start an argument here, with people he swore he hadn't invited. One black eye, and it'd be all over the papers by morning, and he'd have to do something large and charitable to counteract it. No, better to say little, and be as polite as possible.  
Even though the Mutt didn't deserve it.  
Surreptitiously he moved his hand towards his pocket. If he could reach his phone, he could force it to ring, and make a graceful exit. Hey, it'd worked before-- more times then he wanted to admit, actually.  
"Hello Kaiba." Wonderful. This got worse and worse.  
"Tea." A rather tipsy Tea. Hm-- she was cute drunk: slightly unsteady and very clingy. He wondered briefly if the Mutt would have the sense to take advantage of it.  
"This champagne is good, Kaiba." she simpered, leering at him.  
"Thank you, Tea." Well, there went his allotted thanks for the year.  
"Kaiba dear, you're standing under the mistletoe. I'm gonna have to kiss you." she announced, hanging unto Joey.  
Damn. "I'll let your friend have that privilege." He wasn't going to kiss her in front of the Mutt, even if she did look adorable, with her make-up smudged and her dress rumpled.  
"Nuh-uh. It has to be you. Otherwise my Christmas wish won't work." Crap. Where did she come up with this stuff?  
Worse, he could see the Mutt bristling next to him. He couldn't really blame him. As satisfying as it was from his point of view, it couldn't be pleasant for Joey, watching his girlfriend flirting unabashedly with another guy.  
Where was that bloody cell phone? And where was Mai? Why wasn't she bailing him out? Most likely she was standing behind him, watching the whole thing and smirking.  
"What's your Christmas wish, Tea?" Maybe he could stall for time.  
"Come here, Kaiba dear; I'll whisper it to you." Unhooking her arms form Joey's neck, she launched herself at him. Kaiba stepped back, hitting the table, splashing punch across the white cloth, and Yuugi stepped forward to steady Tea, as Joey rolled his eyes in disgust.  
"Boss." Mai came striding towards them, linking her arm though Kaiba's, and drawing him away from Tea. "There's a situation that requires your attention." He sighed in relief, silently blessing the gods of malfunctioning machinery.  
"Hey, Kaiba, come back here, I was gonna kiss you."  
"My apologies, Tea. However, I must take care of this situation. Perhaps your boyfriend would be willing to oblige you."  
"Oh, come here Tea." Joey growled, reaching for her.  
"But what about my Christmas wish?" Tea mumbled petulantly.  
"I'm sure it will work just as well with Joey, as long as you both stand under the mistletoe." Mai called back, leading Kaiba toward the stairs, past a wide-eyed Yuugi, and a smirking Yami.  
  
"What urgently requires my attention, Mai?" Kaiba asked, shutting his office door and reaching for his laptop.  
"I do, Seto Kaiba." She replied, locking the office door. "And I brought my own mistletoe."  
"Oh. OH."  
"I can't have you kissing strange women ..." Mai started.  
"And Tea's as strange as they get." they finished together, smirking.  
  
And then it was (mostly) quiet for quite some time. Outside, unnoticed and unappreciated, the snow fell.  
  
Mai very much liked the way things were going. 'That was the wonderful thing about geeks,' she thought. 'As soon as they saw the purpose behind a skill, they kept working at it until they mastered it.'  
And Kaiba certainly was progressing nicely. She was glad she'd shelled out the necessary cash for a couple sets of uncomfortable, lacy underwear-- the kind that looked best when draped artistically over a laptop.   
And then (she wasn't quite sure what she had done wrong,) Kaiba froze.  
  
It was good, it was wonderful, and then it was too much and she was on him and touching him and he couldn't breathe and she was kissing him and Pegasus was watching and she was kissing him and Pegasus was laughing and she was kissing him and-  
Come here darling, I might think you're not enjoying this.  
Ah, ah, ah-- you can't deny that you've wanted to see him like this--  
Well, feast your eyes, dearest, oh, go on, kiss him, won't you-- after all, it's your big chance, probably the closest you'll ever get.  
Such a kiss, Mai dear-- why, you left a mark. Oh, go on, kiss him again.   
Beautiful. Such a pretty, pretty picture.  
Sit down, Kaiba-boy. We wouldn't want your pretty feet to hurt.  
All right boys, I suppose you can have your fun now.  
And it hurt it hurt and it didn't stop why wouldn't it stop and he curled up and they were touching him why wouldn't she help him and it hurt and he counted twos and twos and powers of twos--  
And then he gasped, able to breathe again, and he could hear Mai talking--  
"... --It's ok, Seto. It's all right. Come on, Hon, come back to me. It's ok, you're safe here, you can come back, Seto--"  
And with a deep, shuddering breath, he was back inside himself, realizing with mingled shame and relief that his shirt, and Mai's dress, were neatly buttoned again. Mai was sitting behind him, holding him, gently rubbing his back.  
"Hey, welcome back."  
"Unh." He noticed, somewhat gratefully, that she was still behind him. That was good. He didn't want to have to look at her, to see the disappointment and disgust he knew was in her eyes.  
"Seto, look at me." She was tugging gently on his shoulder, trying to get him to turn around. Well, so much for not having to look at her.  
"Do I have to?" Why couldn't she do the humane thing, and just leave him the hell alone?  
"Yes."  
When he didn't move, she slid out from behind him, and sat on the floor, looking up at him. "Seto, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to--"  
Embarrassed, angered, he spat: "Just get out; go wave your bloody mistletoe in someone else's face. I bet Tea's drunk enough to want you-- I don't have time for your idiotic Christmas pity fuck. And I wouldn't want you even if I had the time to spare."  
Mai sighed, and there was a silence long enough for her to count to ten. Twice.  
"Kaiba--"  
"You're such a smart girl, Mai-- you're making progress already, see, you've gone from "Seto" to "Kaiba". Now all you have to do is find Tea. I'll give you a hint: she's not in here."  
"Seto--"  
"Uh uh, you're slipping." Damn it, why wouldn't she leave? He wanted her to hold him, wanted to bury his face in her hair and sob, wanted her to rub his back, tell him that it was going to be all right.  
'Ah Seto-boy,' the annoyingly persistent Pegasus-voice stuck inside his head whispered, 'better not chance it, after all, you've already proven you're not man enough to make love to her; you're not even good enough for a pity fuck. Pathetic. Oh well, Seto-boy, you'll always be man enough to spread your legs and open your mouth. Tell me, do you like to take it like a man?'  
"Seto? Are you--"  
"I'm fine. I said I was fine. Of course I'm fine, why wouldn't I be?" He was suddenly aware that he was yelling, and that Mai had, with a wry smile, stood and gathered him into her arms. He gave in and buried his face in her hair.  
"Hush, love. It's going to be all right."  
Love? What? She didn't actually love him, did she?   
'Of course not, Seto-boy, don't be stupid. She's just trying to calm you down. Trying to manipulate you. Remember, you were so sure I loved you. Tell me, really now, are you sure you want someone to love you again? Merde, Seto-boy, you're even more of a masochist than I thought.  
"Listen Hon, it's all ok."  
"How can you say that?" He muttered, his voice muffled by her hair. "How can it be 'all ok'?"  
"Really Seto Kaiba! And I thought you were supposed to be smart." She paused, running her fingers through his hair, trying to calm him, trying to choose the right words.  
"I don't put up with you for the possibility of a quick fuck. I've been down that road before, and, no matter how good the sex is, it's never enough. I put up with you because I care about you, because I believe that you are worth caring about, because I believe you have great potential, because I want--" She stopped suddenly, blushing, afraid she'd said too much. "Wait; let me finish. I like to kiss you, hold you. I like it even more when you kiss me. And if we never do any more than that, that's ok. I won't leave because of that."  
"You say that now."  
"Yes, and I'll continue to say it. Would you like it in writing?"  
"Yes."  
"Where's a pen?"  
"No, it's ok. I just want to be alone."  
"All right-- I'll leave you alone. Good night Seto Kaiba, sleep well."  
  
Mai closed the door quietly behind her, and walked down the hall, looking for a bathroom. She had a strong desire to slam her head against the tile walls until everything Seto-related made sense. And she needed to pee.  
Locking the door behind her, she slid down the wall, buried her face in her knees, and quietly sobbed.  
'So hopeless, everything is so fucking hopeless, no matter what I do I can't reach him. Is it even worth it? Does he even want anyone around? Maybe I'm just wasting my time, kidding myself, pretending that I'm making progress.  
What's with this stupid desire to save people? I never had problems with it before. I mean, it's not as though I actually care for him or anything. No, of course not. Damn lost causes.'  
Sniffling, she wiped her face on the soft beige towels. She washed her face, reapplied her make-up, and carefully refolded the towel so the make-up stains didn't show. She had just plastered a cheerful smile on her face, and was preparing to go downstairs when she heard voices outside.  
Oh, just Yami and Yuugi, that ought to be all right.  
"Hey guys, what's going on?"  
"Mai. Did you manage to resolve the critical situation?" Mai blushed slightly, sure that Yami wasn't referring to the fabricated computer problems.  
"It was resolved for the time being." There, that ought to be safe enough.  
"So, only a temporary solution. That is a shame. I trust you will have to return later to work on it?" Yami smirked at her, his eyes glittering.  
"No, it appears that my presence is not needed." Mai felt herself tensing in spite of her best efforts to remain flippant.  
"Not at all?" Mai shook her head, and Yami laid a hand on her shoulder. "I am sorry."  
"What are you two talking about?" Yuugi broke in, looking confused, "Yami, it's just a stupid computer problem; Kaiba's used to them. What's the big deal, it's not like Mai could help him fix it."  
"How right you are." said Mai, forcing a rather painful smile. "He's probably grateful to escape the rest of the party. Where's Joey and Tea?"  
"They were downstairs. We're just up here 'cause Mokuba wanted us to see his new computer game."  
"Oh, how was it?"  
"Quite good, actually. I found myself most intrigued by it." Yami said, as Yuugi rolled his eyes.  
"What are you guys doing here, anyway? It's not like you're actually stuck working for KaibaCorp?"  
"Oh, Mokuba invited us." Yuugi explained, as the three of them walked back into the ballroom. "He said he wanted someone he knew to be there, since Kaiba always disappears and he's stuck there by himself."  
Inside, they found that the party had thinned out a bit in their absence, with the remaining employees paying homage to the circle of executives enthroned in the corner, the buffet table, the dance floor, or the bartender.  
"I want food." Yuugi chirped, and ran off toward the buffet.  
Yami turned to Mai, who was glumly watching the dance floor. "Will you dance with me, Mai?"  
"I--" Oh, hell, what difference does it make? Seto doesn't want me around anyway. "Yes, yes I will."  
  
Two songs later, a slightly breathless Mai looked over to see Yuugi and Joey chatting, plates piled high with food. Tea sat in between them, sipping coffee, propped up on Yuugi, and draped partly over Joey's lap. Joey gave Yami a thumbs-up, and went back to his sandwich. Yami pulled Mai closer, and murmured softly against her neck.  
"You are very beautiful, tonight."  
"Thank you, Yami."  
"If my heart did not belong to another, I would be very jealous of Kaiba." he said, tucking a curl back into her braid.  
"Oh?"  
"It is good that you love Kaiba as deeply as you do. He is bound by fear and pride, it will not be an easy talk to free him."  
"Unfortunately, I'm coming to understand that."  
"In spite of everything, they are both so innocent..." he mused. Mai followed his gaze over to the three, still eating.  
"You love him, don't you?"  
Yami sighed, leaning forward to rest his head against hers. "How could I not love my light, my other half? But he is still so young, so innocent. I will not take that from him, not for my own selfish pleasure."  
Mai ran her hands down the spirit's back, trying to comfort him. "Be patient, Yami. He loves you, he just doesn't realize it yet." Yami shuddered, and Mai realized suddenly that he was close to tears.  
"How can you say this? How do you know?"  
"Oh, Hon, it's obvious: his face lights up whenever he sees you, his eyes shine. You're his whole world."  
"Really?" Yami asked eagerly, stopping close to Mai as the song ended.  
"Really." Mai said, taking Yami by the hand and leading him off the dance floor. "I'm starved, let's get some free food."  
  
Mai sat alone, picking at her third plate of free food, watching Joey and Tea kiss. Yami had already made his excuses, and taken Yuugi home after Mokuba went to bed.  
She hated the end of parties, the half-drunk idiots trying to con the bartender into one last drink before they staggered home to sleep it off. The sad, half-eaten plates of food, the tired businessmen trying to pick up a sucker for the night. What was the damn point?  
She reached up, plucking a half-wilted sprig of mistletoe from the wreath above her, crumpling it between her fingers and dropping it unto her plate, where it lay, broken, between the whipped creme and goat cheese.  
'I'm done, I've put in my appearance; I'm going home.' She picked up her coat, and fumbled in the pockets, looking for her purse and keys.  
'Here's my keys, but where's my purse? Must have left it in the bathroom. I hate these miniature evening bags, how's a girl supposed to keep track of them?' She clumped angrily up the stairs, and pushed open the door to the bathroom. No purse. Lovely.  
But wait-- she had stopped in the hall to talk to Yami, hadn't she had it then? That's right, she'd set it down on the hall table next to the extremely large and prickly holly plant.  
And there it was. She was knotting her scarf, when she heard Joey and Tea coming up the stairs. She shrank back into a handy doorway, trying to hide behind the holly plant. As soon as they disappeared into one of the rooms she'd leave.  
After a moment, she peeked out from behind the plant. Lovely. It didn't look like they'd make it to one of the rooms. She felt a sudden flare of jealously. Damned if she was walking past them, alone. She reached for the door handle behind her, cursing under her breath when she found it locked. Sighing, she squinted through the holly again, just in time to see Tea's bra go flying across the hall and land over the head of a very staid statue. Mai stifled a giggle and dug in her purse for her lock picks.  
It took longer this time to open the door, and she wondered briefly if Kaiba had installed better locks, then dismissed the thought as pure paranoia.  
She was tired, that's all, and the light was bad.  
Quietly, she opened the door.  
  
One moment she was blinking, trying to adjust to the sudden darkness, and the next she was on the floor, with her hands held behind her back, and a hand over her mouth.  
She kicked, then bit down, drawing blood. The hand across her mouth slipped for a moment in the struggle, and she drew in breath, tried to scream, and managed to gasp, "Seto, help me--".  
There was a shocked pause, and she was let go.  
"Mai Valentine, what the fuck are you doing in my bedroom?"  
"Seto?"  
There was the soft sound of footsteps, and a lamp flared on, revealing Seto Kaiba, dressed in pajamas, with a bruise forming across one cheek, a bloody hand, and a very angry gleam in his eyes. "Especially since I'm quite sure I locked the door."  
"I was looking for someplace to hide." Mai answered, trying not to stare at the mussed bed or the pajama clad Seto.  
"What does a Mai hide from, I wonder?"  
"A Joey and a Tea screwing on the floor outside."  
"Mai, I locked the door."  
"Honestly, Kaiba, like that'll keep me out." Mai rolled her eyes, and stuck out her tongue at him.  
"The salesman claimed those locks were nearly impossible to open." Kaiba muttered, looking both angry and amused.  
"I thought it seemed a lot harder than the last time." Mai replied, picking up the scattered picks, and placing them back in their pouch. "Sorry about your hand."  
"Eh, I've had worse." He opened the door a bit and peered around the holly.  
"Are they done yet?"  
"No." He shut the door, and locked it. "And they probably won't be for quite a while. Who'd thought the Mutt would have that much stamina."  
Mai smirked. "Well, we could always go out and join them."  
"Don't be disgusting."  
"I suppose," said Mai, looking out the icy window, "I could climb out the window, over the ice covered roof, and rappel down the side of the house."  
"I'll get you a set of crampons." Kaiba said, digging in the closet.  
"Hey!"  
"Have some coffee." Kaiba said, waving a hand toward the pot, as he set a stack of blankets and a robe on the bed.  
"Thanks."  
Mai took her mug of coffee and sat on the edge of Kaiba's bed, running her hands idly over the quilt, trying to decide if there were really dragons woven into the navy silk, or if it was only her imagination. Kaiba noticed her scrutiny, blushed slightly and commented. "I didn't choose it. Mokuba picked it out last year for my birthday-- He thought I'd like the dragons."  
"It's pretty."  
  
Kaiba sat down at his desk, yawning, and opened his laptop. He was tired, but he couldn't crawl back into bed, not with Mai sitting on it, and not after the earlier fiasco in the office.  
Bloody hell, why couldn't he be like the Mutt, willing to mount his woman anywhere. He had Mai sitting on his bed, late at night, with the door locked, and still he couldn't manage to get laid.  
"Seto, what do you want for Christmas?"  
To screw you senseless. "I can't think of anything."  
"Well, gee Seto," Mai said, putting her empty cup next to the coffee pot, "You sure made my shopping a whole lot easier." She stopped next to him, peering over his shoulder. "You gonna be working for a while?"  
"I suppose." Surely he could find something to do.  
"I'm wiped, would you mind if I borrowed your bed for a quick nap? Wake me up when the lovebirds are done, and I'll go home."  
"Guh-" Kaiba managed, momentarily speechless at the thought of Mai asleep in his bed. Mai seemed to take that as a yes, picking up the robe, and disappearing into the adjoining bathroom.  
She returned a few minutes later, damp, pink and steaming slightly, with a bit of lace slip peeking through the top of the bathrobe.  
"Hey Hon, I left my dress hanging on the hook in the bath." She bent over and kissed him quickly, "May I turn out the light?"  
"Sure." He heard rustling behind him, and, a moment later the light clicked off.  
  
When Mai woke again, the house was silent, and the snow had stopped falling. Seto sat in the window seat, a blanket wrapped around him, staring out at the snow-covered lawn and the cloudy sky, tinted a pale peach from the surrounding street lights.   
Quietly, Mai slid out of bed and walked over to him, touching his shoulder.  
"Seto." He turned towards her slowly, half asleep.  
"Yeah?"  
"Come to bed, it's freezing."  
" 'M ok."  
"Come on, you need some sleep, and I need to go home." Mai tugged on his arm, then led him over to the bed. She tucked the quilt around him, smirking as he burrowed down, wrapping himself in blankets until only a bit of brown hair was visible.  
  
Mai turned off the bathroom light, and walked across the room, tying her scarf, (a warm but hideous, red, metallic monstrosity Tea had forced on her as an early Christmas gift.) 'Only you, Mai Valentine,' she thought ruefully, pulling on the equally ugly, matching gloves, 'could manage to sleep in a guy's bed and have absolutely nothing happen.'  
She was opening the door when she heard a quiet voice behind her. "Mai."  
She paused for a moment, sure she was imagining--  
"Please stay."  
Surprised, she pulled off her coat and gloves, laid them across a chair, and sat on the edge of the bed. "Seto?"  
He said nothing, but even through the layers of blankets she could feel him trembling.  
Folding her dress, she laid it on top of the coat, dropping her scarf on top of the pile, and kicking off her shoes. She padded across the floor in her slip, and climbed into the warm cocoon of blankets.  
She laid her head on his shoulder, and he turned to look at her, brushing her hair out of the way.  
"How are you?"  
"Sleepy." Kaiba replied, yawning.  
"Go back to sleep, then." Mai said, leaning up to kiss him before snuggling back into his arms.  
  
'Romance novels always made this whole sleeping together thing sound a lot more comfortable.' Mai thought, grouchily. Her nose itched, and her neck hurt, but she was afraid to move, for fear of disturbing Kaiba. Maybe if she shifted really slowly-- She squirmed a bit, pulling a pillow closer. There, that was better. No, wait, now her hair was stuck.  
"Drat it." she muttered, raising her head enough to tug her hair out from under his pillow. Frustrated, she flipped over, facing Seto, one leg on top of him. Ok, that worked. More comfortable now, she shut her eyes and tried to sleep.  
  
'I'm going to kill her.' Seto thought. It had been bad enough before, with her hair in his mouth, and her bottom snuggled up against him. But now-- Now she was facing him, one arm draped over him, and her whole body pressed against his.  
He sighed, and wondered if he could get to the bathroom without waking her up. Two minutes alone; he'd be fine. As soon as he was sure she was asleep-- it couldn't be much longer. "2" He thought grimly " 4, 8, 16, 32, 64 ..."  
  
He slid out from under her, and crept to the bathroom, shutting the door. He turned on the faucet to muffle any noise, and biting down on a towel, proceeded.  
  
Back in bed, Mai smirked, wondering if she should pretend to be asleep when he returned.  
"Hey you." Mai purred in his ear, as he slid back into bed. "You shouldn't be working this late."  
"What should I be doing?" He replied, turning to face her.  
"This." she said, kissing him.  
"I can't." he said, embarrassed. "I don't dare--"  
"All right." Mai said, releasing him. "It's your call."  
Kaiba turned over, staring at the wall, his face burning.  
"Oh my Dragon Tamer," Mai murmured "Fret not, it's all right."  
"Dragon Tamer?"  
"That's how I think of you, Seto. Standing on a cliff over the sea, watching your dragons."  
As soon as she mentioned dragons, he started to calm. "I see you standing, the wind blowing your coat, your hair. The sun setting, trailing bright colors across the water."  
She leaned over to look at his face; his eyes were closed, and his breathing had slowed. Interesting. Perhaps--  
"Overhead are dragons, dozens of them, flying above you, soaring through the clouds. You call to them, your arms outstretched, and they turn towards you, listening.  
The baby ones land first, wings folding down, heads tilted up to you, chirping as they nuzzle you, butting their heads against your hand, like cats, eager to be petted, scratched behind their ears."  
The smallest one, a baby blue eyes, hatched only a few weeks ago, lands on your shoulder, wrapping its' tail around your neck. Your feel its' breath, hot against your face, its' pointed tongue licking you."   
As Mai spoke, she reached up and draped her scarf around Kaiba's neck, pausing as she did so to breathe against his face. He moaned softly, and fisted his hands into the blankets. Very interesting. Well, she'd continue, then.  
"It licks your face, across your lips," Mai said, matching actions to words, "And nibbles on the tip of your ear."  
Beneath her, Kaiba smiled, (the first smile she'd seen in a very long time,) and reached towards her, squeaking in surprise as his hand met the back of her metallic gloves. He stroked her hands gently, as she continued.  
"A second blue eyes, this one a few months older, misjudges her landing a bit, and plows into you, knocking you off your feet, unto your back in the soft grass. You stare into the marbled sky, filled with dragons, hearing--" Mai fumbled  
frantically with the cds stacked next to the bed.  
"-- Uhm, hearing the sound of the waves below you." Kaiba gasped, startled, as she triumphantly hit play.  
"The baby dragon on your shoulder digs its' claws in deeper, trying to hang on, then gives up and slides down your shirt, shredding it." Mai said, one hand raking down Kaiba's chest, the other unbuttoning his pajama top. Kaiba bucked, arching into her touch, panting.  
"Annoyed, the baby dragon clambers back unto you, tail wagging in delight. It nuzzles your chest, then laps at it, liking the taste. Kaiba was keening, now, thrashing against Mai as she sat across his legs.  
"A few of the larger dragons have landed, now, settling around you, protecting you. Your Blue Eyes sidles up to you, and bends down, breathing fire-hot breath across your chest. Her tongue circles, then dips lower. She licks--"  
"No!" Kaiba shot up, eyes still tightly shut. "No, Blue Eyes, this isn't right, you can't--" He sank back unto the bed, panting, hips thrusting upward, helplessly.  
"Hush." Mai said, wrapping a gloved hand around him. "It's ok--"  
"No. I can't. Blue Eyes, don't, I won't see you reduced to this--"  
"May I join you then, my Dragon Tamer?" Mai whispered, taking off her gloves, and leaning down to kiss him.  
"... yes ..."  
"I walk towards you, and your dragons part to let me through. I lay next to you, my head on your shoulder, your arm around me." Mai said, curling next to him.  
"Night is falling, and the dragons are landing around us, settling down for for the night. Young dragons snuggle up to their parents, basking in their warmth.  
It's growing colder now, a wet wind blowing in off of the ocean, but, surrounded by your dragons, we are pleasantly warm and dry." She paused for a moment, judging his reaction.  
"I remove your dress," said Kaiba, turning to face Mai. His eyes were scared, but his voice was steady as he continued, matching his words to his actions.  
"and run my hands over you. You are beautiful in the moonlight, Mai."  
"As are you, my Dragon Tamer." Mai lay naked, waiting, biting her lip, forcing herself to stay still, passive,  
"Say my name, please--"  
"My Dragon Tamer, my Seto, my love--"  
And then he was on top of her, frantically kissing, touching. "... Mai ..."  
And she wrapped her legs around him, and drew him closer.  
And the dragons were forgotten, and there was only the moonlight and the snow and the two of them, twined together, sprawled across the bed.  
  
Some time later Mai opened her eyes to find that she was once again tucked under Kaiba's arm.  
Once again, she turned toward him, draping her leg across him, pulling him closer. He opened his eyes and smiled at her.  
"Thank you."  
"Merry Christmas." she murmured, kissing him.  
"That was my Christmas gift?" he asked, nonplussed.  
"No. But just think how practical it would have been: the right size, inexpensive and useful."  
He started to argue, then saw the smile hovering at the corners of her mouth. "Perhaps so. Certainly more useful than some gifts I've received."  
  
Mai was almost asleep, dreaming of Harpy Ladies riding Blue eyed dragons, but in the early morning stillness, she was almost sure she heard Kaiba whisper "My beautiful Harpy Lady, I do love you."  
  
Outside, the sun began to rise.  
  
The End.


End file.
